Tool handle



TOOL HANDLE Filed March 28. 1923 L awrence I7. Burch By v Patented Bec.2, 1924.

LAWRENCE A. BURCH, OKE JAMES'IOWN, NEW YORK.

TOOL BANDLE.

Application led March 28, 1923.. Serial No. 628,330.

ty of Chautauqua and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in rIool Handles, ofwhich the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in tool handles andparticularly in one of the sockcted type adapted to receiveinterchangeably a plurality of different blades. 'Iool handles of thisgeneral form are well 4 known but it has been found they are open to theobjection that it is impossible to hammer on the end of the handlewithout splitting the wood grip. In many cases, however, where a tool isused it is necessary, in order to start it, to pound on the end of thehandle and if this be done manually the rand will soon become sore andtender.

'Ihe primary object of this invention is lto provide a tool handlethrough the center of which extends a bolt which bears against the endof the blade so that any blow ap plied on the end of the handle will betransmitted directly tothe blade and will not injure the wood grip inany way.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a tool handle of thistype a threaded bolt by which the socket is rmly forced into positionand by which any looseness in the wood grip, due to drying of the wood,can be easily taken up.

A further object of this invention is to provide a socket for removableblades with a pocket which will co-act with an element in the shank ofthe blade and yieldingly holding the latter in position.

Other objects will appear from the following description taken inconnection with the drawing which forms a part thereof and in which-Figure 1 is a sectional view of a tool handle embodying this inventionand equipped with ay removable blade.

Fig. 2 is a cross section through the blade holding socket showingparticularly the manner in which the blade is held in position.

Fig. 3 is a top view of the tool handle showing the means by which theassembling bolt is turned.

Referring to the drawings the reference numeral 10 is used to designatea tool handle in accordance with this invention and comprising a woodgripl 11 and a socket 12 mounted at the lower end of the grip. Thesocket 12 has a poly-sided recess 13 in which the shank of a blade 111rests when the parts are assembled. At the inner end of the socket isprovided a cylindrical boss 15 through which a threaded passage 16 eX-tends into the recess 13. Secured to the outer side of the boss 15 is asleeve 17 which encloses the lower end of the grip 11.k The portion ofthe grip so enclosed is usually made smaller than the main portion ofthe grip so that there is provided a shoulder 18 which rests against thetop of the sleeve.

Through the center of the handle 10 eX- tends a bolt 19, the lower endof which is threaded into the passage 16 in the boss. 'Ihe head 20 ofthe bolt 19 bears against the top of the wood grip 11 and in the headare provided spaced openings 21 to receive a spanner. Upon tighteningthe bolt 19, the grip 11 is forced into the sleeve 17 until the lowerend bears against the boss 15`and the lower end of the bolt projectsslightly into the bottom of the recess 13.

In the Walls of the recess 13 is formed an annular pocket 22 and in theshank of the blade to be mounted is seated a ball 23 so located thatwhen the parts are assembled the ball will enter the pocket 22 and tendto hold the blade in place. As shown in Fig. 2, the ball is mounted in arecess 24 opening at the side of the shank and is normally impelledoutwardly by means of a spring 25. Y When the parts are assembled thebutt of the shank of the blade 14 bears firmly against the end of thebolt 19 projecting into the recess so that any blow applied at the headof the bolt will be transmitted directly to the tool and will not causeany splitting of the handle. By reason of this construction, it ispossible to equip this handle with a cutting blade, such as a chisel forexample, as well as the customary screw driver and gimlet blades and thetool so assembled can be used in the same manner as would be a solidchisel or screw driver.

`While one embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, Iam not to be limited thereto since it is obvious that others may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claim.

Having thus set forth my invention what I claim: as new' and for which Idesire proteetionby Letters Patent is:

A tool handle comprising in combination a grip, a soclretat the end ofsaid grip ladapted to receive and removably hold the shank of the bladeof a tool, a boss at the inner end of said socket bearing against theend of said grip, meansin threaded Connection with said boss to hold itfirmly in Contact With said grip' one end of said Ineansv projeotingthrough saidl boss so that the end of said shank Contacts. therewithwhereby any blow uponl the grip- Will be transmitted through said meansupon said shank, and a conical sleevev enclosing said boss and the lowerend of said grip, said sleeve being forced upon said grip as the socketis secured upon the grip by tightening said threaded means;

In testimony whereof I have aiixed my 20 signature.

